[freeroleplay] Attribute Advancement (was [Fringe] New Mechanic)

[Ricardo Gladwell]

On Tue, 2006-07-04 at 09:42 -0700, Troy Truchon wrote:
> On 7/4/06, Ricardo Gladwell <president at freeroleplay.org> wrote:
> > Perhaps this could be solved by not using point allocation for CC, but
> > by simply giving the player scores of 5, 4, 2, 2, 2, and 1 to apply to
> > attributes as-is. Or some variation thereof. This would save players
> > from having to consider strategy during character creation.
> >
> > That said, don't players consider strategy during CC anyway?
> 
> I thought that was the point? Don't we all think of how everything we
> learn fits into the greater whole? When I went to school I didn't
> think enough about strategy and now I'm probably going back to fix
> that. People who acquire a bunch of useless skills are not the heroic
> individuals most characters are intended to represent.

I think the system does allow you to fix you "mistakes" by training in
skills. In fact, low attributes don't represent "mistakes" as such but
the innate deficiencies people are born with.

I suppose the system takes the following position (which may or may not
be true, I have no idea to be honest) that you are born with certain
innate talents of deficiencies for speed, strength, intelligence, etc.
Deficiencies can be moderated to a degree (the skill part of the
equation, 50%) but otherwise you are stuck with what you were born with
(the attribute part of the equation, the other 50%).

I think characters could still be heroic in this system, simply by
requiring that a character takes at least one or two score 5 attributes.
In I'm not sure how this differs from "attribute modifiable" systems.

Now, to throw a counter example back to you, how does a character raise,
say, Intelligence. Sure, you can study hard and work your brain, but
surely that's just raising your knowledge (and, perhaps, your knowledge
of knowledge)? You are still constrained by your basic intelligence.
Surely a person could study all their life and they'd never be an
Einstein (Int 5 or more)?

> > > > > > The Godlike system does something very similar.
> > > > >
> > > > > I've never heard of it. Time for a little google...
> > > >
> > > > Well worth checking out. The system itself is available for free as
> > > > Nemesis[1]. If you're going to buy the game I recommend waiting until
> > > > Wild Talents[2] (the contemporary edition of the game) is published in
> > > > the near future.
> >
> > Did you download Nemesis? If so, what did you think?
> 
> I love the dice mechanic. I'm trying to think of a way to discreetly
> steal it for the skill based system I've been thinking over.

I wouldn't worry too much about stealing the mechanic, it doesn't look
like anything that is copyrightable[1]. I'm not convinced myself the
mechanic is good although it certainly is interesting. Seems a bit
"gimmicky" and counter intuitive but I haven't played the game. I do
love the simplicity and elegance of the system though.

Kind regards...

[1] http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

-- 
Ricardo Gladwell
President, Free RPG Community
http://www.freeroleplay.org/
president at freeroleplay.org